


Lemon Boy

by SkepticalSceptile



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hope's Peak Academy (Dangan Ronpa), Can be seen as pre-relationship or as platonic, Defense Mechanisms, Gen, Gonta is not dumb, Hoshi is an amazing person, Pre-Relationship, Trans Oma Kokichi, gratuitous insect similes and metaphors, he is a scientist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:21:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27792988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkepticalSceptile/pseuds/SkepticalSceptile
Summary: Gonta befriends the bitterest boy of all, much to the chagrin of his classmates.
Relationships: Gokuhara Gonta & Hoshi Ryoma, Gokuhara Gonta & Oma Kokichi, Gokuhara Gonta/Hoshi Ryoma, Gokuhara Gonta/Oma Kokichi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 166





	Lemon Boy

**Author's Note:**

> I love insects, and Gonta lets me talk about them. This can be seen as platonic or pre-relationship, whatever you'd prefer

Gonta is often called "pure and sweet" by his classmates. It makes him feel happy, that he is well behaved and nice. Toujou always allows him to help her if he asks, and Hoshi lets him help feed the stray cats around the academy.

Seeing his classmates happy and at peace makes Gonta happy. As much as he loves all sixteen of them, he loves one in particular. Kokichi Ouma is a complex, brilliant boy who always has a mask on. Gonta likens him to the cautious bugs who are weary of him, too used to fighting other colonies to put their guard down. His classmates tend to dislike Ouma, assuming everything he says is a lie and writing him off as immature. Gonta notes that his lies seem more compulsive than malicious, like the boy has to protect himself.

Many insects use camouflage to protect themselves from predators, and Ouma does the same. He acts like a menace to anyone he deems threatening in hopes of driving them away. Gonta has befriended insects such as Phillidae and Phasmatodea, some of the most camouflaged insects. He's studied their behavior, has sat with them for hours gently speaking. It takes a long time for some to feel safe enough to scuttle onto his outstretched hand.

From the back of the classroom, Gonta watches Ouma cackle in Momota's face. The astronaut is red-faced, balled hands shaking. Saihara quietly speaks to him, shooting looks over at the supreme leader. Ouma flashes his bright colors, spreading his wings to look as big and threatening as possible. The pattern of large eyes and a sinister smile stands out, yet another intimidation tactic. Momota was rapidly losing his cool, evident by his grinding teeth and bulging muscles. Saihara says something, and with a deep sigh the tall boy turns and stalks off. Saihara turns to Ouma, staring silently at the puffed up boy. The two stare for a few tense moments, a silent conversation between them. Eventually, Saihara shakes his head and turns to follow Momota. Ouma pulls his wings back, singsongs something, then flees.

Quietly, Gonta follows.

Ouma doesn't get very far before he spins on his heel to face Gonta. The short boy sneers up at the taller, hands cocked on his hips. Though Gonta expected the leader to express distaste at him following, he still was taken aback at the look. Before the entomologist can speak, Ouma does. "Why're you following me, Gonta. Come to scold me for being a naughty boy?"

Deciding not to react to the suggestive tone and fluttering lashes, Gonta replies, "Gonta doesn't want Ouma to be alone. Being alone all the time is bad."

Ouma scoffs, shifting to cross his arms. The two silently stare at each other, red eyes boring into purple. After several moments, Ouma's eyes slide shut and he sighs. When he opens them, his face quickly becomes one of utmost sadness. Tears build up in his eyes, and his bottom lip trembles. "Isn't it so mean that our classmates all gang up on me? It makes me so sad," Ouma sobs, fat tears spilling down his cheeks.

Gonta blinkes. "Doesn't Ouma rile them up on purpose?" The supreme leader's face goes completely blank, tears somehow completely gone. After a second or two of studying Gonta, Ouma's eyes narrow.

"If you know that, why're you here."

"Well," Gonta puts a hand to his mouth, "Ouma says things to get a reaction, and Momota is a very...heated person. His reactions make you target him, because it's fun for you. The others get upset with your lies and actions, but...they're harmless." Ouma cocks his head up at him, eyes searching for….something. Gonta offers the small boy a smile, and to his delight Ouma grins. The leader steps forward, leaning up on his toes to get a better look at the entomologist.

"Say, Gonta. Do I weigh nothing to you?"

"Oh! Gonta is very strong, most things weigh very little for him!" Gonta bends down and easily hoists the small boy up into his arms. Ouma's mouth drops open, and it almost seems like there are stars in his eyes.

"Alright Gonta, bring me to my dorm!" Pointing a finger in the general direction of the dorm building, Ouma gives an evil grin.

"Okay!"

Gonta takes off running, practically flying down the stairs like a bee. Ouma clings to him, and instead of shrieking like others do when he runs with them, the little leader gapes up at him before turning his head to watch their surroundings blur by. A large grin spreads across his face, and he lets out a horse-like laugh. It's oddly charming.

Within minutes Gonta set Ouma down at his door. The supreme leader is slightly off balance, but he unlocks his door with ease. The purplette turns his head and stares at Gonta with an unreadable look. Gonta patiently smiles down at the other boy, not minding the other's blatant studying. Ouma holds open his door, "C'mon you oaf." Gonta says nothing to the insult. Ouma's tone holds no venom, much like his usual insults. His cruel words seem more like habit than him trying to hurt the entomologist, so Gonta feels no need to scold him.

Stepping into the shorter's room makes Gonta look around in amazement. Ouma's room can only be described as organized chaos. Nick nacks sit on every surface, papers litter the floor in piles, and a huge stack of notebooks cover the desk. There are various toys and items for pranks shoved in a corner, including a horse mask with a crown. Gonta smiles. This room screams Ouma in every way. Ouma closes the door loudly, stepping around the taller boy to enter the bathroom. The entomologist chews his lip, wondering if he can sit down or not. They have a half hour lunch, so he isn't worried about rushing. Deciding to stand, Gonta peers at several doodles hung on the wall. There's one of Kiibo in a suit, standing outside a courtroom. The robot looks furious, jabbing a finger at a beaming Ouma. Another features Ouma dressed as a clown, shoplifting. He even has a drawing of Saihara being stepped on by Akamatsu and Momota for some reason. Slightly obscured by the strange and insulting drawings are a few that makes Gonta smile. There's one of Hoshi, surrounded by cats and smiling. Another has Shinguuji holding some sort of statue. Kirumi is smiling in one, not in her maid attire, but in comfortable clothes. One even has Gonta himself, with several butterflies resting on him.

"Jeez, Gokuhara, I can't believe you're snooping! That's sooooo rude," Ouma drawls from behind him, and said boy turns to look over at him. The short boy is holding a piece of fabric in his hand, blazer unbuttoned. He must notice the taller teen's gaze because he tucks the article of clothing in his inner pocket. Violet eyes stare up at him, silently challenging the taller boy.

When Gonta says nothing, the short boy walks over to the small fridge all of the dorms provided, pulling out a can of soda. He pauses before shutting the door, turning his head back to Gonta, "Want a soda?"

"Ah, Gonta doesn't drink soda, but thank you!" The leader stares at him once more, unblinking. He reaches back into the fridge, snatching another can and shuts the fridge before striding over to hand Gonta the other soda.

"This one doesn't have a lot of sugar, think of it as fizzy tea." The greenette peers down at the label, red eyes glancing at the ingredients before looking back at Ouma.

"Thank you very much, Ouma."

"Yeah yeah, whatever." They leave his room to head to one of the many benches on campus. Gonta watches as Ouma walks ahead of him, studying his posture.

The supreme leader is seen as an annoyance by the majority of their class, and the greenette doesn't understand why no one else notices the boy's defense mechanisms. Ouma is always flashing his bright colors and spots, constantly making others leave him. He has no qualms in saying rude things or threatening anyone who comes near him. Gonta thinks that always being on the defense from predators must be exhausting. Does Ouma see anyone as non threatening?

The purplette's lies spill from his mouth like a Diplopoda secretes poison in defense, the only way the insect can get predators to disengage. Ouma taunts and jeers until he can flee, exuding faux confidence that makes him seem larger than he truly is. Their classmates fall for his tricks every time, leading to the boy being labeled a problem and no good. Bugs are often seen as vile pests, but Gonta knows that's not true. Just because something is built differently than others doesn't mean they deserve mistreatment. The entomologist knows this firsthand. Maybe that's another reason as to why he was determined to befriend every insect.

People also underestimate the importance of insects in the ecosystem. Bees pollinate many plants, giving people crops and oxygen. Spiders help control insect populations, and typically avoid humans. People tend to judge people based on their outward appearance. If someone is loud and impish, they avoid them. If someone is brash and aggressive, no one tries to look beneath it. Ouma is often labeled as a lost cause, and everyone seems to avoid him if possible. It must be lonely, being isolated from your peers. Gonta had his forest family when he went missing. He always had someone looking out for him, giving him affection. Ouma seems to be the exact opposite; someone who has spent so long all alone that he doesn't know how to let people in. He doesn't expect to save Ouma from himself, nor does he want to change him. Gonta just wants to be Ouma's friend, to help him realize he isn't alone.

The two boys reach the bench with about fifteen minutes left of lunch. They sit in silence for a bit, sipping at their sodas and relaxing under the sun. It's not quite summer, so it isn't unbearably hot. Gonta watches a few beetles scuttle around the grass, eyes transfixed. At some point Ouma leans over to see what he's staring at, only to immediately lean away with a flinch. "Is Ouma scared of bugs?" Gonta asks, finally tearing his eyes from the beetle. Gentleman should always look at the person they are talking to, his brain reminds him. The purplette scoffs, rolling his eyes and crossing his legs.

"Of course not you idiot, that's pathetic."

Gonta frowns, "It's okay to be scared of things, Ouma. Gonta can protect you!" His frown quickly turned into a beam, red eyes shining. Ouma's face goes blank, a reaction that meant he didn't expect the response. The shorter looks away from his sparkling face, setting his can down on the bench. The taller teen reaches out, only to hesitate. Would Ouma be okay with physical contact? Should he ask?

"Why did you follow me."

"What?" Gonta blinks, brow furrowed. "Does there need to be a reason?"

"Everyone does things for a reason. Did you want something for spending time with the social reject?" The supreme leader spat, still refusing to look at the other.

"Gonta followed you because no one should be alone all the time. Gonta wants to be your friend."

"I don't need a friend," the boy growls, face twisted into one of his horrifying expressions. The greenette softly shakes his head, reaching out to place his hand on Ouma's shoulder. The boy went stiff, face frozen.

"Gonta isn't leaving, Ouma. He knows you're not a bad person." The short teen blinks down at the hand on him, studying it. The entomologist can tell his mind is working away, debating on what to say or do. His spots are rattling, colors hovering just under his skin. His legs are probably prepared to dash away, even though Gonta is easily able to overtake him.

"I don't need to be changed." Ouma says blankly, eyes boring up into the greenette's.

Gonta smiles, "Gonta doesn't want you too, he likes you for you." Ouma seems to deflate, small hand knocking the larger one off of him. There's no force behind it, just a message. Gonta pulls back, grinning to himself as Ouma kicks his legs. He doesn't need anything from being with Ouma. Nor does he want anything. All the gentle giant wants is for Ouma to have at least one person who he feels comfortable with, at least one person who he doesn't need to be so defensive around. Gonta hopes the little leader isn't wondering if he was told to do this, hopes the boy doesn't try to find any ulterior motives. The time Toujou gave Ouma a bento he refused to open it, just insulted the maid until she gave up. He was no charity case, and he was not going to allow himself to be used as a tool to make someone look better. The entomologist peers down at his watch before tapping the small boy's shoulder.

Purple eyes glance at the time and he jumps up, tossing his can into the trash by the bench. The greenette copies the action before the two head back to the school building, walking in comfortable silence. Gonta can't help but watch Ouma trot alongside him, hands behind his head. He looks like he's thinking, eyes focused on the ground. "Ouma?"

"Hmm?"

"Gonta was wondering if you would like to be his friend." Ouma looks up at him, face still blank. Gonta keeps smiling down at him, wondering if his spots will flash or not.

The purplette suddenly gives one of his impish smiles, "Sure! But only if you pledge your life to my eeeevil organization!"

"Ah," Gonta looks away, brow furrowing, "Gonta doesn't think being evil is gentlemanly."

"Are you kidding?" Ouma threw his hands up, "Phantom thieves are totally evil but super gentlemanly!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah! Besides, everyone in my organization has mandatory tea breaks, and we all use proper etiquette."

"Well in that case, Gonta would love to join your organization!" Ouma grins up at him, sparkles in his eyes.

The two make their way back to class, the short boy going on about all the crimes Gonta would be involved in. The entomologist wasn't quite sure if the boy was lying or not, and mentally notes to prevent any major crimes. Maybe Gonta can be a good influence on Ouma, make him feel comfortable around their peers, maybe even make him loosen up on his defense mechanisms. Gonta silently swears to protect Ouma from anything. As his friend, and as a gentleman, Gonta will not let anyone or anything hurt the little leader.

Ouma heads to the bathroom before they go upstairs, and after a minute or two he steps out with his blazer buttoned once more. As they near the classroom, Ouma stops. The greenette turns to say something, but the purplette is at his locker. Rustling and crinkling of papers fills the hall as the short boy rummages through his locker, before giving a little hop. Using his hip to shut the door, Ouma beamed up at the taller teen. "Here, big guy!" Nestled in Ouma's outstretched hands sits a scarf identical to the boy's own. It's folded neatly in a square, and Gonta gently takes it.

"What's this for, Ouma?"

Purple eyes seem to sparkle as Gonta cradles it in his hands, "Everyone in my super secret organization wears one!"

"Oh," Gonta looks from the soft fabric to Ouma, who sways side to side. "Thank you very much, Ouma. Gonta will take good care of it." The teen carefully ties it around his neck, smoothing the material out. When he looks down again, Ouma has a strangely open expression on his face. His mouth is slightly open, eyes unblinking up at him. He looks just like Gonta did all those years ago, taken in by wolves and shown kindness and love. Warmth bubbles up in his chest, joy that Ouma looks like this because of him.

"Is it on right?" Ouma seems to snap back to himself, face morphing into his usual grin.

"Nah, it looks terrible on you!" Gonta frowns, fingering the scarf.

"Oh…" A small hand touches his, and Ouma moves towards the classroom.

"That was a lie." The boy disappears, and Gonta is left standing in the hall with wide eyes. He blinks and smiles, cheeks warm. Every part of Ouma is interesting.

When Gonta steps into the class, several of his classmates take one look at the checkered scarf and freeze. Harukawa glares at Ouma, who sits swinging his legs at his desk. The purplette ignores her in favor of grinning at Gonta, eyes alight with mirth at the scene. There's nothing else on his face but pure mischief, an expression the class is all too familiar with. Momota stands, pointing at the entomologist's new scarf.

"Hey man, you have something on you," the astronaut says, and now Harukawa is directing her glare at her friend. Even Saihara puts his face in his hands at his friend's remark, Akamatsu awkwardly patting his back.

Hoshi sighs from his seat, "I'm sure Gonta knows he has that on, Momota. He's not dumb."

"I wasn't saying he is!"

"Then don't treat him like he is," the tennis pro deadpans, eyes narrowed at the tall teen. The astronaut's mouth opens wordlessly before he slowly sits, eyes wide.

"Ah, Ouma was kind enough to give Gonta this! He is very thankful for getting a gift from his friend," Gonta says, hoping to calm his classmates down.

Hoshi shoots a look at the supreme leader, catching his gaze. The shorter gives the purplette a nod and smirk, then goes back to playing on his phone. The tennis pro is much like a Dynastes hercules, extremely strong and intimidating but rather gentle to those who are not threats. Hoshi may look like a delinquent, but the short teen was normally seen feeding the stray cats around campus and helped his classmates if he could. The brunette also played cute cat collecting games on his phone, and would send Gonta pictures of bugs he saw on his walks. Gonta hopes that Ouma and Hoshi can become friends soon; both boys seem rather lonely. He hopes he can be a good friend for both.

Gonta makes his way to his seat beside Shinguuji, offering the anthropologist a friendly smile as he sits. He gets a nod in response, the long haired teen reading an ancient looking book. The class is still staring between the entomologist and Ouma, bewildered. The two refuse to acknowledge the looks and whispers, instead waiting for their teacher to come. Gonta plays with his new scarf, rubbing his fingers on the soft material. He now has two friends who refuse to turn off their defense mechanisms, constantly isolating themselves in any way they can. The entomologist wants them to open up, to realize at least one person cares and wants nothing but the best for them. As the teacher steps inside the classroom, the tall teen loses himself in ideas. Maybe the three of them should go out sometime? They should do something all of them like! The greenette perks up, writing down his ideas in neat handwriting. The noise of the teacher slowly fades until he is left to his thoughts, pencil working away.

The last few hours of the day fly by, and as Gonta steps into his dorm, he sighs. Normally he would start in on his work, but he has more important things to do. The gentle giant pulls out his phone, opening the chatting app the class uses. With a deep breath in and out, he creates a new chat with his two dearest friends.

Gonta: Hello! Gonta wanted to know if Ouma and Hoshi would be up for hanging out!

Kokichi: Hmm, i dunno! Im suuuuuper busy

Hoshi: i'm free whenever. Anything is fine

Gonta: How does a cafe sound?

Kokichi: oh look at that my schedule is clear


End file.
